Interchangeable lever-latch.



F. A. LEDWARD, Sn. 11115110111116111315 LEVER LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULYII, ISIZ. 1,198,641.

WITNESSES.' WMM Y /ITTURNEI FREDERICK A. LEDWARD, SR., OF FLINT,MICHIGAN.

INTERCI'IANGEABLE LEVER-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

Application filed July 11, 1912. Serial No. 708,820.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. LED- WARD, Sr., who am a citizen of theUnited States of America, residing at Flint, in the county of Geneseeand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Interchangeable Lever- Lat-ches, of which the following is aspeciication.

This invention' relates to interchangeable lever locks, -and has for itsobject an improved device of this type adapted especially for use eitheron the right or left hand door of a motor vehicle body, with but slightchange in the position of the parts.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is an elevation of the lock and of theadjacent parts of the door and frame, in position on the left hand sideof a vehicle body. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a lock mounted on theright hand side of-'a vehicle body. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the inneror rear face of the lock, in which the full line p'osition of theactuating lever shows its relation to the other parts of the lock whenused on the left hand side of the vehicle body, while the dotted linesshow the position that the lever would occupy when the lock is turnedupside down and mounted upon the right hand side of the machine. Fig. /1is an end elevation of the lock and its adjacent supporting door edge.Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view along the line a-a of Fig. 4.

A represents the tonneau body of a motor vehicle, and B the left' handrear door and C the right hand rear door thereof. The vertical edge ofeach door along its free or swinging side is cut away to permit theengagement therein of the body D of the lock, in which engages thebeveled latch E, which is yieldingly held in projected position by theSpring F. of the body of the lock engages a lever H, whose generaloutline in the particular lock here illustrated generally resembles aninterrogation point, though I do not restrict myself to this form; theupper end J is adapted to project above the top of the door forengagement by ones hand, while the lower end contains an aperture orperforation K, which is adapted to register in the case of the left handdoor with the screw hole L, and, if the lock is used on the right handside, with the screw hole M, which, be-

copies Through the slot G in the casing of this patent may be obtainedfor ve cents each,

cause of the reversing of the position of the lock is then located abovethe latch portion of the lock casing. Other screw holes N may beprovided in the surface plate P, both for the sake of greater firmnessof attachment and the appearance of the lock. With the lever H in suchposition with regard to the body of the lock, and in position to riseabove the top of the left hand door B, its lower end is pivoted by thescrew Q, which passes through the hole L in the plate and hole K in thelower end of the lever and also engages into the wood of the door. If,however, it be desired to use this same lock on the right hand door C,its plate P is detached and the lock reversed, so that the beveled latchportion E will still point to the front of the car; in this position thehole J in the lower end of the lever is made to register with the screwhole M in the now lower edge of the plate, and is then secured in placeby means of the screw Q. The upper end of the lever C projects above thetop of the door with its center portion engaging through the slot G inthe body D of the lock, which is thus made equally elicient when thusapplied to the right hand door, and entirely avoids the necessity ofmanufacturing and selling locks for this use in pairs, each containing aright and left. Of course when used on the fore doors of a vehicle body,where the hinged edge of each door is the forward edge, the conditionsas to positions of the parts here described would be just the reverse.

What I claim is The combination with a casing having a projectingportion and apertures above and below said portion, of a notched boltand a spring seated in said projecting portion holding the bolt inprojected position, a reversible lever having a straight portion engagedin the notch of the bolt, a bent perforated end pivoted to the casing,and a bent handle end extending through one of said apertures, therebeing a pair of screws above and below said bolt any one of which isadapted to act as a pivot to said lever.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK A. LEDWAR-D, SR.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. SWAN, JEFFERSON Gr. THURBER.

by addressing the Commissioner of latenti,

Washington, D. G.

